You may come across other similar terms, such as ‘Alien’ species, foreign species, introduced species, non-native species. And they all refer to the same thing, a certain breed of animal, plant, or bacteria that is not orginally from that region but is imported in. This is done intentionally or unintentionally, and for many reasons. In this blog, such species will be refered to as exotic species.

Exotic species have many effects on the environment that they are introduced to. And these effects are often negative or detrimental, not all introduced species are harmful. In fact, some introduced species benefit the environment that they are introduced to. For instance, in California, native butterflies feed on non-native plants. In Puerto Rico, certain invasive trees help improve soil condition such that it is suitable for native plants (Keim, 2011).

However, more often than not, introduced species bring more harm than good. These species are commonly known as invasive species, which can have damaging effects on the environment they are introduced to. The effects can be diverse, affecting the ecosystem, mankind, and even the economy to a certain extent. In this blog, we will discuss about the significance of typical exotic species.